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5 Ways to Make Your Home Buying Offer Stronger

November 3, 2021

5 Ways to Make Your Home Buying Offer Stronger

Even in a buyer’s market, submitting home bids can be highly competitive. But when the market favors sellers, and there is also an inventory shortage like the one our country is currently experiencing, having your offer chosen as the winner can feel next to impossible. 

Fortunately, the home buying team at The Mortgage Firm North Central Florida has plenty of experience helping buyers like you purchase their dream homes, and we know how to help you strengthen your offer to make it more appealing to sellers. Read on to learn more. 

Do This, Not That With Your Home Buying Offer

 

  • Enlist a Home Buying Team

When it’s time to buy a home, find a real estate agent and lender you can trust. This home buying team can communicate effectively with each other and help mitigate any issues that may arise in a way that helps both the buyer and the seller. When all parties are on the same page and trust each other, the home buying experience is much more enjoyable, and buyers encounter fewer hurdles in the process. 

  • Get a Credit Approval

At The Mortgage Firm North Central Florida, we provide Gainesville and Ocala with home loan pre-approvals, but we go a step further by also providing credit approvals. We obtain all of the documents you need to purchase a home, and then we send those documents to the underwriter. All you, the buyer, need after this process is complete is title work and an appraisal. 

Once you receive credit approval, your real estate agent can tell the listing agent that you are underwriter-approved, which makes you almost as attractive to sellers as a cash buyer. There is much less of a chance that financing will fall through when you are credit approved versus only pre-approved. 

  • Up the Ante 

A seller’s market with fewer available homes for sale than buyers ready to purchase them incentivizes buyers to spend more than they normally would. A shortage of homes leads to bidding wars, which is why another way to strengthen your offer is to consider offering above the asking price if you’re able. Your real estate agent can advise you on how much you should go over the list price, with 1-3% often recommended. Doing this gives you a competitive advantage over another buyer who offers only the list price, and, in a seller’s market, it definitely couldn’t hurt — especially if the home you’re bidding on is ideal for you and your family.  

  • Don’t Ask for Too Much

Being aware of the state of the current real estate market, it would be unwise to ask the home’s seller for concessions or that they leave certain items in the home when they transfer ownership to you. This can be especially ill-advised if the home is priced fairly and there is already any risk your offer will be declined. 

  • Make It Personal

When a seller has many offers to weigh, sometimes it helps to add a personal touch to your bid by including a personal letter. You can tell the seller about you and your family and why you think their home is perfect for you. Making a human connection with the seller can help your offer edge out to the front of the pack if multiple offers sit at similar amounts. 

The Mortgage Firm Makes You More Attractive to Sellers 

We are a direct lender at The Mortgage Firm NCF, so we don’t work typical banker’s hours. Rather, your home buying team is available after regular business hours because we know the real estate market doesn’t sleep. Our passion is helping you and your family get into a home you love and making the home buying experience memorable — in a good way! Contact us when you’re ready to submit a strong home buying offer backed by a credit approval and a team of experts who guide you every step of the way.